Nigerian-Born U.S. Citizen Shoots Estranged Wife Seven Times Over Paternity Claim

Michael Collins Iheme, a Nigerian-born immigrant who later became a United States citizen, allegedly shot his estranged wife, Anthonia Eberechi Iheme, seven times following claims surrounding the paternity of their child.

Michael Iheme, born on September 22, 1957, married Anthonia, a Nigerian woman who was 28 years old at the time of her death, in 2003. The marriage was his third.

Iheme later disclosed that he had initially been reluctant to marry Anthonia because of their significant age difference and his suspicion that she was primarily interested in obtaining permanent residency in the United States.

The couple had two children: a son born in 2005 and a daughter born in 2006.

Following their relocation to the United States, Anthonia obtained legal permanent resident status in April 2006.

However, the marriage subsequently ran into difficulties, leading to their separation in August 2007. Iheme filed for divorce the following month.

At the time of the shooting, the estranged couple were embroiled in a custody dispute over their two children. The alleged paternity disagreement also featured in the circumstances surrounding the tragic incident.